


Losing My Drive

by orphan_account



Category: Prince of Tennis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-06-21
Updated: 2005-06-21
Packaged: 2017-10-10 22:26:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/105039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account





	Losing My Drive

The excitement is wearing off.

He could describe it in terms of internal chemistry and basic psychology, but the fact is that he's not excited with the whole thing anymore, and all he wants to do now is go back home and sleep the sudden and unexpected melancholy off.

There's always a down after you reach a peak, he knows; he's felt it after every hard-won victory, but this time it feels like he's not going to come back up. One of his major goal has been achieved mere hours earlier: he's spent so long training and collecting data for this very moment in time, when he could shake Renji's hand over the net, finally victorious. Now the moment has come and gone, and it doesn't seem worth all the effort anymore. And then there is Tezuka, undefeated -_but no, not anymore_\- captain and friend -_if they are even that, and it's certainly not a given_\- and pillar of support of Seigaku, but he's so far away from the sushi shop where everyone is celebrating right now that his very existence feels unreal and ethereal, and it makes him impossible to consider him as a goal to reach.

He'd wanted to talk to Renji, now that they were finally standing on equal ground, but Renji had other appointments, other people to worry about, more important things to do - he understands that, objectively, but still feels somewhat abandoned, and resents himself for being so selfish- and he went without a second glance to his childhood friend. He feels empty and asocial, and refuses the offer to go finish the evening at karaoke half a second before it is uttered - he's gotten _good_ at predicting his teammates reactions and ideas - and Kikumaru, as expected, doesn't insist.

He's part of the group and that's why they ask, but really, none of the more social members of the team care that much about his presence. He leaves soon after that, tired and weary and trying not to think about whatever the future may hold now that he's heading to the Nationals without the determination and single-mindedness that characterize him.

"You won." how can he have been so lost in his musings that he hasn't noticed the person standing there in the street?

"I did." he answers, not really knowing what to say to that - his victory has already been duly commented on and celebrated by everyone, there is nothing left to say about it.

"Does that mean you won't be playing doubles anymore?" He looks up into unusually anxious eyes, and can't help the slight widening of his eyes as realization strikes. He may have lost all interest in beating apparently unreachable rivals today, but it's not _all_ there is to tennis.

And he can feel the drive again.


End file.
